Something VERY STRANGE about this sword! | United Cutlery Honshu Single-Handed Broadsword REVIEW

Wow, this sword really surprised me. An in-depth review of the United Cutlery Honshu Single-Handed Broadsword: bit.ly/3A0QBR0
If you like the content and want to support the channel, you're welcome to do so through Utreon, Subscribe Star or Patreon:
utreon.com/c/s...
www.subscribes...
/ shadbrooks
Come check out my other channels!
THE SHADLANDS: / @theshadlands1142
KNIGHTS WATCH: / knightswatch
Subscribe to my website so you don't miss an upload: www.shadmbrook...
Follow me on Facebook: / shadiversity
Follow me on twitter: / shadmbrooks
My novel, Shadow of the Conqueror Audio Book affiliate links:
US: www.audible.co...
UK: www.audible.co...
CA: www.audible.ca...
AU: www.audible.co...
Ebook, Paperback and Hardcover available from most major book retailers, here are a few of the main ones:
Amazon affiliate link (be sure to navigate to your country's amazon site):
amzn.to/2XErUaR
Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandn...
Kobo:
www.kobo.com/a...
Awesome Shirts and chainmail print clothing: teespring.com/...
Visit Calimacil for the best replica foam swords and LARP weapons: calimacil.com?aff=38
Buy my sword IMPERIOUS from Calimacil: calimacil.com/...
Community run discord server: / discord
#medievalmisconceptions

[@GabelhelmSogarbraten]

Guys this wacky guy enthusiastically talking about swords is actually a world class author I was expecting a good book with focus on historical authentic fights and worldbuilding but i was met with George RR Martin level storytelling and some of the most interesting and intrigueing concepts ive ever seen in fantasy This was the most ive enjoyed a book since project hail mary by andy weir

[@GabelhelmSogarbraten]

@@alexandergreene461 Omg man im like a drug addict waiting for the next shot Lets kidnap jazza and force shad to write 10 more books The only bad thing is shad would be just happy that theres noone stepping on his arrows 😂

[@TheIgnoramus]

Ok im sold I’ll look em up

[@bobok5566]

I really need to get one of Shad's books, been watching his content for a year.

[@Louzahsol]

“George rr Martin level of storytelling” so lots of flaccid phallus’?

[@GabelhelmSogarbraten]

@@Louzahsol all of it

[@abcdef27669]

Shad: "Why this sword got stuck in the sheath so frequently?!" United Cutlery Honshu worker: "Because you need to establish a trust bound with the sword, before everything. Be disrespectful with the Blade, and she would likely never get out from the sheath".

[@dragonfell5078]

XD

[@matthewtalbot-paine7977]

I'm having the opposite problem with my wife.

[@teancumsjavelin363]

He hasn't properly bonded his shardblade yet. Once he does, he will summon it in 10 heart beats. Maybe even 7 due to his incredible love of swords.

[@Ralathym]

"Be disrespectfull to the Blade, and she would likely never get out from the sheath" Cut to Shad bashing it against hard wood

[@EnsignRedshirtRicky]

That, or Shad forgot to add the Honor Coating that is sold separately. That is how they get you.

[@HorizonOfHope]

Can’t believe no part of the review gives the most important fact: does the sword give a +1 to attack and damage rolls?

[@alanrickett2537]

If it's freshly sharpened you can get the plus1 to damage

[@evilbluekoala626]

In DND it would, but in Pathfinder it's only to attack.

[@shelbybayer200]

I'd say a +2 maybe ?

[@alanrickett2537]

@@evilbluekoala626 only play 1st and 2nd edition DnD 3rd was rubbish 4th massive with no benefit and 5th not bother looking at it yet as 2nd works just fine

[@aidan4472]

Given it’s almost 1.5x the weight of a typical arming or even long sword but is balanced just perfectly, I’d say ye.

[@lilcorvidmagpie]

shad i want you to know that in my school we have a class entirely dedicated to castles (6-12 grade students) and we've been watching your videos and everyone in the class loves you. when we saw one of the videos in your face in it everyone in the class was saying stuff like "LORD SHAD HAS GRACED US WITH HIS PRESENCE" or "ALL HAIL LORD SHAD!!!" and it is as golden as your videos are lol. keep doing what you do man :D

[@shadiversity]

That's so awesome to hear

[@Malkontent1003]

Crenellation. Did I use that right?

[@dumbleking5172]

That's a very cool class.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

In 2002 I was fortunate enough to handle an original sword from the late 1500s and a replica baised on that sword. The original weighed a little more than the replica but in use the original felt nearly weightless in the hand & moved easily. The replica was tip heavy & sluggish. Weight is a factor but mass distribution is just as important, if not more so.

[@gratefulguy4130]

I'd agree with more so. You can handle a weapon slightly out of your strength range if it's well balanced.

[@The-Anathema]

Then it wasn't a very good replica in my view.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

@@The-Anathema It wasn't an accurate replica. As for bad...well it wasn't horrible but it was an entry level replica in the $250 range; it was still within the historic weight range. But my point isn't weather the replica was good or bad but to demonstrate how mass distribution can greatly effect the feel of a sword.

[@The-Anathema]

This is fair, but yes the higher on the blade the balance sits the closer you get to an axe or mace in terms of handling, even a very light axe is pretty awkward to handle compared to a sword or even a machete (and the machete is also blade-heavy, just less extremely so than an axe)

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

@@The-Anathema certainly true. I've been collecting replica swords since 1995 & unfortunately in the European sword market entry level swords have more often than not been crowbars compaired to historic swords. Of course with the rise of HEMA & a greater demand for better balance, weight fit/finish & overall quality in even entry level swords this has changed somewhat; especially in some newer brands. But before 2000 most European swords that were "functional" were made more for reenactment, stage combat & looking decent as not nearly as many people buying were actually using them to cut; so a poorly balanced sword was far less important to many consumers than accuracy especially at a low price. HEMA has really helped change the market's focus. Compair that to the Japanese katana replica market where well made, well balanced katana have been available for decades. Even now a decent entry European sword by Windlass (although they are still often hit or miss), Balaur Arms, Ronin Katana Euro line, etc is often $300-$350. Where with Japanese swords you can get a katana from many Chinese makers in the $150 or so price range that are often as good or better in quality than the intro Euro swords. Apart from wall hangers the bottom of the barrel Euro maker is Deepeeka. They make a lot of insanely heavy & poorly assembled stuff in EN45 steel which I believe is roughly like 1045. They often sell for $150-$300. But there are many Japanese swords in the $60 or so price range in 1045 that while certainly not outstanding are decent & functional. I got an Onikiri off a site that had slight rust on the blade. It was on sale for $1 ($35 shipping however 😂) but still it normally was $65 +shipping. It's on the heavier side of historic katana but not horrible in weight or balance. It has real ray skin on the hilt & overall is far better than any Deepeeka I've ever owned or seen by a good bit! Maybe in a few years we will get some better low end Euro things but who knows. As for the replica I mentioned that I compaired to the original... Well I saw them in 2002 but the replica was made between 1992-1997 IIRC as that's when it was available. For that time & price it wasn't the worst I've ever seen, but yes it would certainly not be considered good, just meh, in today's market.

[@seymourfields3613]

Shad reviewing movies, "BYAH! NO! You would NEVER run a sword or spear into the ground, YOU WOULD DAMAGE IT!" Shad reviewing sword, "okay, so we're going to compare this broad sword to a machete. Now we're going to use it as an ax. Now we're going to use it as a log splitter."

[@seymourfields3613]

@@sihilius eh, by Shad's own admission, it's dealing undue damage to the blade. Take the joke for what it was.

[@TheAchilles26]

It's destructive testing or abusive testing, which is different from just generally abusing the sword

[@JamesJNothingIsTooSensitive]

Funny for the joke, but wrong for the facts. Not that difficult.

[@Slender_Man_186]

The difference is that one is for dramatic effect and to make a character seem badass, the other is an intentional attempt to stress test the blade and edge.

[@seymourfields3613]

@@Slender_Man_186 you're not the first person to completely miss the joke...

[@blitzen6622]

Shad has the best pleasantly surprised reactions.

[@zackweeder115]

My favorite way to test temper and springiness in swords like this one is holding the handle loosely very close to the guard and smacking the side of the pommel with your other hand. If done correctly with a well tempered sword, you get to watch the entire blade wiggle back and forth. Just be careful about playing with your sword too much, it can make you go blind.

[@Malkontent1003]

It took me three seconds. First second, I was confused. Second thought was poking my eye. Then it hit me like a load... of bricks.

[@sihilius]

Yeah, i should spend less time on sword seller's websites as well. My eyesight is weakening already.😂

[@Oddy25]

What

[@JohnDoe-zw8vx]

And get hairy palms 🤭❤️

[@Alaric11]

I'm late but I just finished the audiobook for Shadow of the Conqueror and I was blown away by how amazing it was. The last hour and a half in particular completely floored me. One of my all time favorite books. Ahrek is easily one of the coolest characters in fiction.

[@jdman6794]

I have to read it then. I have an audible subscription and have been looking for new books to try.

[@tommeakin1732]

10:51 This is actually a common "issue" with modern replicas. Because of the quick and cheap ways that put these fullers in, they end up completely straight, when the blade is tapering the whole way. I don't want to say it's always the case; but historical fullers typically taper as the blade does. To my understanding at least.

[@jonathanbetenbender307]

I think he was just referring to the precision, but glad you made the informative comment.

[@sihilius]

I mean i wouldn't really call this a repro. I'd rather call it a modern version of a medieval sword, so I'd be surprised and a little disappointed if those fullers weren't nearly perfect.

[@tommeakin1732]

@@sihilius I wasn't saying they shouldn't be "perfect", I was saying that they should follow the taper of the blade. I believe they'll have uniform cast "presses" (sorry I'm completely forgetting the right terms) for different fuller styles that they can use on whatever blade they like, but when they have anything more than a single fuller, they have to keep the multiple fullers entirely parallel so you can move the press up the blade. Though tbf, a very similar issue can be seen with single fuller blades when they've kept the fuller depth uniform along the whole length of the blade. It's just most pronounced with multiple long fullers. I don't know enough about how they did it historically, but it was certainly a more time-intensive method that's been streamlined in the modern day

[@sihilius]

@@tommeakin1732 Sorry, I've misunderstood your point about the fullers. Indeed i do think that they look better, if they are following the blades taper as well. My guess about the modern way of making a fuller in a mass production context would be that they just mill or grind those fullers in using a computer controlled machine, as the look of the fullers on my honshu war sword is very reminiscent of how the fullers on another sword of mine, but way more perfect and for the other sword i know for a fact, that the fullers were ground in and also that's probably the cheapest way to get a good looking fuller into a mass produced blade. Having done a tiny bit of blacksmithing myself (mostly knives and other small stuff), my guess about the historical method would be that the either hammered those fullers into the hot metal using a punch like tool, refining them afterwards with some stones and other grinding media, or that, mostly in later periods, they just ground them in using a water or foot powered grinding stone or something similar.

[@tommeakin1732]

@@sihilius No worries! I've seen modern smiths using a uniform "casting" to press the fullers into the blade while the blade is still malleable, but tbf, I don't know how standard that is across different smiths and companies. Thanks for your thoughts there! I was imagining that they might have punched the fullers in and then touched it up, as grinding alone sounds pretty insane for the tech of the time

[@leonardrodriguez1501]

Watching this I noticed that I could tell two things just by watching. One, that shad does know how to handle a weapon. Two, that first sword is a good sword. You can tell in the same way: How solid and straight he holds the sword. Properly balanced swords feel like they want to hold straight when you hold them. Great reviews just off of that.

[@therakshasan8547]

I have collected blades for over 55 years . I find that with leather Scabbards/Sheaths and Steel I use a blend of Petroleum Jelly & Mineral Oil .[50/50] . Liberally apply to blade [not gobbed on] then Sheath the blade, and then remove the blade. Repeat Sheathing & Drawing until the pull is reasonable and smooth . You still want a pulling feel to keep the blade from sliding out on it's own .

[@adolfodef]

Of course! [It is a +1 Magical Sentient Sword] -> The scabbard is tight on porpouse in order to prevent the sword from propeling itself out of it in a moment of anger against their wielder.

[@tedcaster1]

and here i was thinking bees wax would do it

[@CompuTer5-15]

Probably not something you want to do with a sword like that, but you can take the bite out of the grip by lightly tapping the points of the diamonds with a soldering iron. Something I had to do for my brother’s pistol because the texture was tearing his hand up. Wouldn’t make it pretty, but it would be more comfortable to grab

[@bakerboy8910]

Why not just hit it with a super fine belt sander or Dremel?

[@jlogan2228]

120 grit sand paper as well.

[@jonathanbetenbender307]

@@jlogan2228 Beat me to it. Could probably clean up the look with a heat gun, but if rather have more geip.

[@jlogan2228]

If you dont care abt looks you can also get some tennis racket tape then use a hair dryer or heat gun to secure it for added cushion

[@jonathanbetenbender307]

@@jlogan2228 I used hockey grip tape on my weights; that'd probably work pretty good too.

[@rafegraves1453]

14:20 “The frost, it sometimes makes the blade stick.” - Maximus

[@gunblade7610]

Hahaha thanks, though that freeze frame has so much potential 🤣🤣🤣

[@iaretherealmonk]

Apparently I'm at a point in my life where I can be thoroughly entertained by a man chopping a tree stump with a sword. 5/7 perfect score.

[@AudraT]

I have a special affinity for this video because this was a standard review and not a sponsored review. To advertise my online shop I often send my products to KZbin influencers and ask them to review/display the item. There's no contract so there's no obligation to the influencer and the compensation is the product (i.e. a gift). It's a real good method to advertise your products if you are to small of a shop to pay for a sponsorship. The negative is, since it's a gift, the influencer might never get around to displaying your product. This is actually great Shad reviewed this because, with my experience, larger channels NEVER get around to reviewing your stuff. I've actually stopped reaching out to the larger channels because it just becomes a waist of money. Thank you Shad for being the only large channel, that I know of, who has reviewed a small business's gift.

[@jones1171]

It's so nice to see a bastard sword like this. This has been one of my favorite types of sorts for a long time and honestly I think would be an excellent sword for self-defense. It's quite strong. It's not cumbersome. It's easy to maintain. Thank you for doing this Shad. Top marks for testing. Perhaps we shall see more of these types of swords in the future.

[@GreenTheem]

I’ve been looking for a properly balanced broad/bastard sword The one I currently have from Kult of Athena was listed as high carbon, and it’s great quality but it feels far too imbalanced to be practical (p.o.b on the “Templar” sword I have is approx 6-7 inches away and is already quite heavy at almost 2 kilos; mine is much more a wall-hangar for what it was marketed as {although very well built}) I think you’ve landed me a deal, Shad!

[@RandyKalff]

Can't be worse than my falchion. Its point of balance is 19.5cm away from the guard on a blade length of 63cm. And this thing is supposed to be one handed. Hence I'm planning to trim the blade to a historically accurate thickness before sharpening.

[@locke03]

Looks like a great first cutting/project sword where the user experience isn't going to be hurt by the build quality, but its not so expensive that one has to be afraid of damaging it while learning how to cut with, sharpen, or modify it.

[@miszkar-taichou8482]

I always loved the look of your two-handed long sword. The green colour is just beautiful

[@Beardshire]

I love my arming sword Type XIV from Kult of Athena, It's really light and nimble and cuts super clean. I have really put it through some abuse and it's still good to go. Everyone should have an arming sword to hobby cut, it's really fun.

[@dwwolf4636]

KoA is a reseller last I looked. What brand sword are you talking about ?

[@Wright805]

That's awesome. My favourite Original Character uses an arming sword.

[@Beardshire]

@@dwwolf4636 Oh sorry, It's kingston arms.

[@jim7217]

Great review Shad - and Oz jumped right in there to tug on the shaft - he almost seemed too quick to grab it. :)

[@Native_love]

I LOVE this review Shad! You the man! I love the new format and the short videos! You have one of the BEST channels on KZbin! What I love about you is the lack of pretentiousness and your humility! ❤❤❤

[@RedHood001-KA]

That looks like Boromir's sword from LOTR.

[@shadiversity]

13:13

[@doopdoopdopdop7424]

Basically what it was. Kinda like a mix of a cinquedea and a normal medieval broadsword.

[@RedHood001-KA]

@@shadiversity Exactly!! Love the video, Sir Shad. Hope you're doing well!! 👍

[@cantremember6794]

There's a reason for that

[@BamDaCam]

Also check out its resemblance to the Broadsword in the dark souls trilogy and Elden ring

[@shelbybayer200]

These are some beautiful blades

[@Markbell73]

United Cutlery! You have been tasked. I humbly request you make a Honshu version of Glamdring the Foe Hammer, The Sword of Elendil, and Sting. Also, Orcrist. If you haven't already.

[@jeffmcsayles397]

Ok so I have purchased quite a number of Hobshu blades for carry at Renaissance faires. Full Broadsword a double edge fencing sword, a Parang, a Toothpick bowie, a seat and a bearded axe. All of them have required sharpening, out of the box, then cleaning/oiling. They perform just as this blade has and they perform over and above their price point. I have not been disappointed in a single purchase.

[@doctormysteryshadow4267]

Shad is such a bad ass. It gives me goosebumps when he does that sword technique. It is just like how the professional warriors must have handled their weapons.

[@MediocreHexPeddler]

Props to the audio editing and/or noise cancelling that compensated for the rather exuberant wind.

[@b.delacroix7592]

Looking at this reminds me of why I have come to prefer curved quillions over the straight. I have a practice sword (polymer) and it has straight quillions. I often catch my wrists on the ends when doing uberhau or underhau moves. Underhau being the worse. With curved quillions, I'd not catch my wrist on the transition.

[@michaelcherokee8906]

Lucky duck. I crash my bar style guard into my freakin skull. THAT'LL wake you up!

[@b.delacroix7592]

@@michaelcherokee8906 ow

[@FF-yd4ni]

witcher silver swords go brrrrr

[@deathmachine777]

Thanks for the great review. I love how you were able to explain the difference from historical swords and this one.

[@jr6yancey]

Watch every video, have notifications on, i like every video, often intract in the comments, and you are NEVER in my feed. I ALWAYS have to look your videos up manually.

[@shadiversity]

Thanks for letting me know, and thanks for looking up the videos so you don't miss out.

[@RedHood001-KA]

An interesting detail here is that the notification works for me. If it's any indication, I live in Indonesia, so it could be a country thing?? I usually get recommended videos from channels I've watched recently. There would be random things here and there, but they're rare to my knowledge. I actually got recommended some of Shad's videos before. But it's certainly weird that other people are having issues still, though this isn't exactly a new problem that's happening. Just thought I'd give my perspective.

[@stephenfinch6897]

This video is like Forged in Fire on a budget, yet somehow far more entertaining! I love it!

[@thomasphillips885]

This is a great video. A good showing for an affordable sword! The editing was great too

[@joshuayow4653]

I love the look, it seems well built and it wouldn't take much to make the blade keener than factory. Very nice 👍

[@MegaKnight2012]

Thanks for reviewing this sword. It's been one of the top swords on my radar since it's price is about $200. Maybe for this Broadsword, either sharpening it or a piece of plastic at the sheath's inner mouth could help. My brother has such plastic pieces in his Cold Steel medieval swords' sheaths. But maybe it just needs to be drawn and sheathed more and more. I already own a Honshu Tactical Straight Ninja Sword (which is really more a tactical English backsword) and the Honshu Karito Axe. The Ninja Sword has a point but not an edge (bought on Amazon so maybe BUDK's are better) and no problem drawing from the sheath, whilst the Karito axe held a better edge using on a pine tree than an actual tool axe I have. It's shaped like Kratos' Leviathan axe so I mentally compared it to Shad's critique of Kratos' axe when using it.

[@Raggedy_Andy71]

I always look forward to notifications for Shad's new videos, they are fun and instructive simultaneously! By the way, what's up with Sunday Night Swords? Haven't seen it the last couple of weeks...

[@NageIfar]

1.7kg is actually crazy. This thing must have insane stabbing force.

[@adolfodef]

It is a +1 Magical Sword. Its "effective inertial mass" (only while it is in movement relative to the center of mass of their wielder) is lower than its own passive "gravity mass at rest". This means the moment it stops advancing (because an object like a shield, sword, armor or flesh is interposing), it suddendly regains that difference, adding it as an "extra oomph" in that vector of deceleration [increasing effective penetration power].

[@clothar23]

@@adolfodef And we've found the Spanish trained swordsman.

[@adolfodef]

@@clothar23 Nobody ever expects a spanish -Inquisitor- Lore Analyst. ... -> I am actually from Argentina.

[@jaydenlobbe7911]

It would if the Blade wasn't so flexible, you want a more rigid Blade for Thrusting

[@adolfodef]

@@jaydenlobbe7911 Precisely. -> Shad did NOT attuned to the +1 Magical Sword. When it is attuned (plus not actively fighting against their wielder´s desires because of moral/alignment issues); the sword is rigid like quartz crystal... yet can also absorb the vibrations from impacts like a feather mattress.

[@TatsuoMusashi]

Great review! I own the Honshu 2-handed Broadsword (longsword), and I haven't had any issues with it; highly recommend getting one to compliment this one. I personally don't mind the "tactical" grip on it. Doesn't bother my hands at all. Scabbard is nice and secure, though like most others on here have said, repeaded drawing/sheathing will help with the "sticking" issue. Overall, great video!

[@LukasNse]

Love your content Shad!

[@kevinreist7718]

The Conan the Barbarian movie sword was designed with a relatively heavy pommel to act as a counter weight for Arnold to easily manipulate it in the movie.

[@TheWhiteWolf723]

I'd love to see more reviews like this. I've always been curious about this line of Honshu blades. I have one of their Karambits and I love it (Despite all its bite marks on me lol) I think it'd also be intresting to see you review some of their M48 line. They have spears and knives and I think some swords. I love that you took it to some trees. Really shows how far you can take it and how much of a wall hanger it is not. I wonder if you tested it on some meat (like a ham or something) or some ballistics gel, how it would fair?

[@bigredwolf6]

The Australian version of the ATF would probably be showing up to the shadlands to ask why a sword guy is buying ballistic gel.

[@stonefox9124]

Honshu is a great budget name brand, I have kukri, Chinese war sword and a short katana.

[@RyeDoug]

Love the sword reviews and coverage of them! You've got a lot of great content! I'm making a viking sverd and the pommel will be a tungsten alloy, so it will be super dense. The hope is to get the balance point as close to the hand as possible, and this video really showed how mine may hopefully behave!

[@b1laxson]

"Vagesse" is a name for a sword type I've heard like that. Wide base and good sized pommel means the point of balance is very close to the wrist making it a fast blade. Though of course bit less chop action but oh do they have speed and agility. edit: That agility counts more in the defense since a faster blade is more likely to get into position to stop another. Against unarmored opponents a reduced cut is still horrendous.

[@benjaminbrand3714]

Loved the video! A simple, classic Shad review. Two thumbs up!

[@FortuneFavoursTheBold]

I'm glad that United Cutlery managed to reduce its weight from the original 4.75 lbs by the Windlass contractor to under 1700g in this current version. Still heavy, but not ahistorical. The huge type XIV sword housed at Metropolitan Museum in Manhattan has a blade just as broad but perhaps an inch or two longer, and it weighs 1673g, almost the same as this one. Such a weight would be acceptable, especially with the elongated grip and a point of balance close to the hilt. Seems that the designer at UC did his homework. The lack of distal taper, however cause the excessive flexing especially in the lower portion of the blade. The lackluster cutting performance comes primarily from the mediocre edge geometry (with the pronounced secondary bevel) and bad edge apexing (not sharp enough as a sword).

[@danielcaston8147]

Hi Shad, I felt I should let you know that I didn't receive any notifications for this video, but did notice it when I saw the short video attached. Good on you for expanding, sorry KZbin had to force it on you, and thanks for the content!

[@ianpalyo8730]

I have the two handed version (modeled off of Narsil I believe) and I’ve found pretty much the same thing. Definitely heavy for its size with a pretty poorly sharpened blade. That being said after sharping in properly it holds an edge decently well and is honestly a great sword for its price.

[@stonefox9124]

It's not meant to be sharp, by design the weight supplements the cutting power, using sharp with weight makes edge more prone to chipping and rolling.

[@ianpalyo8730]

@@stonefox9124 Hot Take “A sword isn’t meant to be sharp” lol that’s a good one. All swords benefit from being sharper. This sword is obviously designed to be a chopper. You know what helps with chopping? The only time you don’t need a sword to be sharp is if it’s designed solely for thrusting like an Estoc or rapier (which could still benefits from having a sharp cutting edge).

[@xWolfBludx]

I had hoped to see it sharpened and tested. I always fix the edges of my blades after I receive them. Well made video.

[@Ryan-wm7wt]

Couldn't help but think: Gladiator: "...sometimes the frost makes the blade stick."

[@Tokahax]

Boop. Now on to the video.

[@graysonb_designs]

Love your videos, as always Shad.

[@stevenaubin74]

I love the new two handed Templar sword I recieved last week from Darksword Armory. Knowing it was forged the old way really means alot to me.

[@Aleister_E.]

I've been off and on looking at that very sword for a while now. It's neat to see it actually tested.

[@ATG3192]

If only that sword had even a mild distil taper, it'd probably be an insane value for the money (even with the possible price increase for the distil taper).

[@kyleheins]

Personally, I feel a distal tapered would make it worse. It already flexes in the thrust alot, adding a distal taper would make that flex too great to be useful, and would increase the risk of bending from mild resistance or deflection. Additionally, it mixes cut and thrust reasonably well, but is fairly light on the cut as is. A distal taper would make it ineffective in the cut as well, rendering it useless and generally a bad sword.

[@sihilius]

If it had distal taper, the point of balance would shift into the handle, which would result in that blad being a very bad cutter and cutting is a very essential function of a arming or in this case a bastard sword..

[@cantremember6794]

I think taking away some material from the guard and pommel and brining the pob to about 3 to 4 inches and getting the weight below 3lb would make this 10/10

[@NecronCtan1]

Great review! Also, I’m consistently getting notifications from you again.

[@CarlosRodriguez-Saber]

I actually owned two of the Honshu weapons! I have the Honshu two handed broadsword but I consider it a longsword the handle is long enough for two hands, and the crusaders quillon dagger. The Honshu longsword is a very strong sword, sharpness is decent but not very sharp. Love the tactical look except the screws part cuz I worried it would snap the tang. I haven’t done some cutting with it yet cuz I don’t want to ruin it. It’s a very first sword that I ever purchased. The scabbard tho wasn’t really that tight I can easily draw without a sweat. It’s bit too long for me to draw it out I really have to stretch it out. I’m planning on getting more of the Honshu sword soon cuz sword are AWESOME!

[@sihilius]

The screws really aren't the issue. The Japanese are doing something similar with the katana, where they put a bamboo/wooden pin through the hilt and the tang. The real issue is how UC likes to transition the Blade into the Tang. They make the really nooby mistake of just doing a sharp 90° angle instead of a smooth rounded transition. This means, if you hit something hard, all the force is focused into one tiny spot, which can cause micro fractures. With 1065 this CAN go well, but you should really stay away from their D2 blades, as D2 is way to difficult to get right for a large mass production blade anyways. Add that tang issue and you've got a recipe for guarantied disaster.

[@CarlosRodriguez-Saber]

@@sihilius ohhhhh ok that’s very interesting thx for the info!

[@kyleheins]

The tang should be good to go. The temper is such a durable one that the screw holes won't reduce its durability to a level you can overcome with standard human strength.

[@OmegaX9]

The UC Gladius was actually the first sword I got, and it’s help up pretty well over the last decade.

[@nickgreene2971]

lmao oz's answer to "how hard did that stick" I'm dead lol

[@CreepyMF]

A broader view on a broadsword, the width of this review broadended my understanding of it.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

I’ve always thought a bastard sword and a shield is the perfect video game loadout for an adventure game. Specially if you make it so you can switch between two handed sword use and sword+shield use. One for an offensive play style, one for a defensive play style. Link from the Zelda series is a prime candidate for that type of system, especially since a lot of versions of the Master Sword seem to be a bastard sword.

[@Local_commentor]

A broadsword I love the cutting power it feels like a messer but 2 edge

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@Local_commentor Erm... what? A Broadsword like a double edge Messer? I'm not sure what you mean. I mean, I own a Basket Hilt Broadsword and three different sized Messers. And my Broadsword feels NOTHING like any of the Messers. If you mean some other type of sword, then its not a Broadsword. Dnd and many video games wrongly use the term Broadsword for Arming Swords and sometimes even for Bastard Swords. Do you mean one of those? Even if you do mean one of those. I'm not seeing how it would feel like a Messer. They feel VERY different from other swords due to their knife hilt construction.

[@Local_commentor]

@@RainMakeR_Workshop no like a messer has some REALLY GOOD cutting power AND I tried this broadsword and it cuts like one I meant to say this thing is LIKE A MESSER BUT HAS 2 edges

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

@@Local_commentor Oooh, hang on, I'm following you now. You mean specifically the sword in this video. Its been a year so I forgot that for some daft reason United Cutlery called that Bastard Sword a "Broadsword". Yeah, the profile of a type XIV sword does make it a beast of a cutter. The type XVII and XVIIIc are beastly cutters too. But they are incredibly similar.

[@Local_commentor]

@@RainMakeR_Workshop I have a bigger version of this one (kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKbdamR_grhnrrcsi=aybbUb9lQt9UGg_L) it but cut though a wet tatami mat with a broomstick in the middle like nothing

[@shadowlessxpan]

I was given the two handed long sword in the Honshu line for my 30th birthday. They have it on their website as a broadsword. It’s a really good length, and actually quite fun to wield. Highly recommend getting that one day. 10/10 As for the sheathe, it does stick. Makes a satisfying click once it’s till the hilt. It did loosen up over time for me.

[@Discord_326]

I own many entries in the Honshu line. Some are better than others and it has improved with time, but I've been waiting for you or Skall to review something from them to see what your thoughts were. Awesome to get the Shad stamp of approval on my go to sword manufacturer. On the scabbard being a tight fit, I own the sword and that will fix itself with time.

[@JKOXP]

Sweet I would have had the same bias going in. Very happy United Cutlery is making good stuff

[@soslan2693]

I mean: being a masterwork weapon, It has only -1 penalty when using it in one hand for those without Exotic weapon proficiency. For those competent with the bastard sword with exotic weapon proficiency there's no penalty one- handed, but just a masterwork +1 bonus cumulative with a potential +1 for weapon focus (Bastard sword)😚

[@natetaylor9002]

I already got the Combat Commander Gladius on your review (and its winning the best modern survival competition) = great sword. It's not a car door slayer, but a real sword....despite being called a machete. I'll now look into this new offering from United Cutlery!

[@matthewtalbot-paine7977]

Damn it I was going to make a joke about the sword being for women and you beat me to it.

[@jamsinentertainment7127]

Shad. Wrap the base of the sword in wax paper, put it in the sheath and let it sit for about a day. At the very minimum over night. When I had my pistol and bought a leather holster for it, the holster came with those instructions. It worked perfectly 😊 Your content is awesome 😁 God bless you and yours 😊

[@wlg2677]

So that Honshu sword is around 3.5 pounds? That is heavy. It reminds me of the sword of Boromir that was on sale in the net some years ago.

[@jovenvalenciaflores6029]

That's because the sword is based on the exact design of Boromir's sword. Down to the pommel, the hilt, and even the blade itself.

[@masonwheeler6536]

17:57: "By the way, this is gum. Gum ... becomes pretty hard; this is not a soft wood." It's also a rather large tree, it doesn't appear to have been planted anytime recently! Therefore, this is an old gum tree. Why is there no kookaburra sitting in it?

[@JustTooDamnHonest]

If a zombie apocalypse happens then I would see Shad becoming a zombie slayer by way of the melee weapons especially the Goedendag. Shad sees a person: "O good day?" Realizes it is a zombie! Shad yells:"I SAID GOOD DAY SIR!" Then processes to stab the zombie in the head, killing it for good.

[@benlomen179]

I'm here cause of the short you put up. Effective!

[@sonicdemon2737]

I feel for you when it comes to the sheath. My boyfriend bought me a very beautiful dagger with a sheath and it used to stick really bad. After some use though, it's now easier to take out and the sheath is still very good at holding the blade. Perhaps after some time of inserting your sword in and out of the sheath it will be easier?

[@tornadoaftermath]

This sword sold out QUICK on my favorite blade site after you made this video Shad! Well done! Even though I now have to wait to order one for myself.

[@Alanth]

It looks a lot like the Bastard Sword in the Souls games

[@janicemcalisterdouglas7351]

I enjoy how enthused you get when you're pleasantly surprised! Great review!

[@nydabeats]

Balance is everything... your arming sword could use a heavier pommel, probably feel a lot lighter.

[@tommeakin1732]

We need to stop making this association with the point of balance being closer to the hand as resulting in a "better sword". A good tool is defined by what you want from it, and we know that historically, some people wanted, and got a sword that would cut with serious authority for it's length, and one effective way of achieving that is moving the point of balance further from the hand. I'm not saying any qualities can be good, but I think us modern nerds are perhaps unnecessarily restricting what classes as a "good sword" because we can ignore many of the realities and real-world considerations that people face when they're actually needing to seriously fight with the weapon. If you want to be able to reliably cut through dense fabric armours, cut through the soft tissue of the arm, and perhaps cause cracking of bone - you might want a four of five inch centre of mass on your arming sword

[@nydabeats]

@@tommeakin1732 Very true, it really comes down to personal preference. Not saying moving the balance would make it a "better sword" or more effective, just saying it could make it feel lighter in the hand even though you made it heavier. Whether you want that in your sword or not is subjective.

[@tommeakin1732]

@@nydabeats In the context I interpreted "Balance is everything" as meaning a point of balance closer to the hand would be superior. I might have misinterpreted ^^

[@kevlarandchrome]

A short follow up showing you changing out the grips and testing how easily that particular steel takes an edge, if it hones well, could be a good video.

[@JeffandBCProductions]

Here is my comment tithe, king.

[@georgesulea]

I love your enthusiasm Sir. I'm going to have to give this sword a second look.

[@ArdentPardy]

I'm really pleased to see United cutlery upping their game

[@brigandboy1425]

So the only two negatives really are the grip/handle being plastic and rubber, and the edge simply not being sharpened to a usable state. Nice sword overall. It needs some work once you buy it, but really good quality steel.

[@WritingFighter]

17:20 - "Remember, this test is not about what your sword does to the wood, but what the wood does to the sword." - _Forged in Fire_

[@MurrayDewar]

Yeah but can you launch an Elf from it?

[@daveleo78]

In case anybody’s interested, they have three different versions of this one. There’s a blackened one with a black leather handle and also a non-blackened one with a brown leather handle. I got the brown leather handle one and it’s about 3 ounces heavier and the point of balance is about 3 inches closer to the tip. Also, it doesn’t come with a frog or any type of belt attachment and the nut that holds the pommel on is a regular flathead instead of a hex. These are the key differences I thought people might be interested in.

[@ratiuvictor9533]

Shad make your own sword than send it to other Sword youtubers like scallagrim and schola Gladiatoria to review it. I bet you can make an improvised forge in your yard

[@cj09beira]

considering his health issues, forging is likely out of reach for him.

[@boogretard8941]

I mean he has access to his dad's forge, in his old video about making a heater shield, he made the handle and hook himself

[@Serahpin]

Don't know if you're going to see this on an older video (not same day), but I had the thought that the last sword design was the military sabers that were used up to WW2 before becoming fully ceremonial. It was the most modern design that was still useful before becoming wholly replaced with fully automatic weaponry. It seems that saber could hold it's own against rifle, but not machine gun. For some reason every other weapon design fell out of favor in the age of firearms, except the cutlass/saber. It might not be the absolute optimal, but it survived when all other designs didn't. And that means something.

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

"Here, I have this broadsword." "I don't think that's a broadsword." "What?" "I mean, yeah, it's a broad sword, but it isn't a broadsword." "I don't follow." "It's a broad sword, yes, but that doesn't make it a broadsword. Clearly it's a broad sword. I'm just saying that I don't think that that broad sword is a broadsword." "Are you taking the piss?"

[@MaitreNaDaoine]

Not related to this video, but I just finished reading Shadow of the Conqueror, Shad. It was much better than expected and I can't wait for the next in the series. Btw, loved the "About the Author" section, which really fits this video.

[@MaitreNaDaoine]

Nooooo! I edited the comment and lost my heart and pin from Shad!

[@rockinHurley777]

4 views 13 likes.. makes sense lol

[@argonzeit]

I've been very interested in Honshu ever since I went to a gun show and held one. EVERY single blade I picked up felt like it was made for my hands. They felt good in the hands, and I personally absolutely loved the rubber "tactical" grips they have. I just didn't want to spend the money if they ended up breaking after a few swings. Now that I've seen this, I may have to pick up all those ones that interested me.

[@argonzeit]

@@tomothybahamothy not yet actually, maybe I'll splurge on my birthday next year and get me one.

[@SirStouk]

OMG when you said come and pull out my massive pummel 😂 and the silhouette too 🤣🤣 (15:05) Make sure you get a good grip 😆

[@Tam_Miri]

First off I was laughing so hard at the beginning when you were asking if anyone even uses the term 'broad' when speaking of a woman. That got me so good X) I dunno why but it was hella funny. I remember the term bastard sword, funnily enough from an RPG I played a long time ago and remember my dad laughing at the name of my characters weapon and my mom wondering what kind of game I was playing haha. Anyways, I found the testing of the sword to be quite a great way to review it and is it weird I was getting anxious seeing it 'mistreated' as well? Really cool and I like the look of it overall. Really great maneuverability and seemed easy to handle and flourish. Always look forward to your videos, gives me my dose of historical accuracy.

[@IIBLANKII]

Whats also helping a great deal in the balance is the blade width towards the gaurd imo. It brings the center of mass towards that area of the blade and im betting the pommel just shifts that a bit down to about 3/4' from the gaurd.

[@DSlyde]

I think the grip is so aggressive specifically because you're expected to be using it in gloves. Some gloves can compromise grip and causing some slipping in the hand, so the aggressive grip helps with that and you still won't feel it through the gloves.

[@Csarci]

Matt Easton mentioned that tapering can go either way just fine functionally in his Windlass XIV review. That is the blade can taper down or profile down.

[@DavidMartinez-us2rk]

I've owned Honshu weapons for a few years and noticed when they first come they are very tightly in the sheath but over time they get loose. They are over all a very good product though. I would love to see you do a review on the Honshu naginata though

[@JackoBlades]

Thank you, always wanted a Borromir type sword. UC did a good job

[@thenerdyarab7622]

Metric for weight and imperial for length. Love the mixing of units.

[@crazylegoman]

Since there's a bit of a gap at the base of the blade where the quillons are, make sure to hold the sword point down after slicing through water bottles so that the drops don't run down the blade and get into the hilt.